There were few times Calla felt nervous. Most days were predictable—wake up, do chores, help in the kitchens, avoid confrontation, and stay out of the way. But tonight was different.
Tonight, she wasn't cleaning, or running errands. She wasn't hiding behind the walls of her family's simple house, which stood among the modest row of homes where omegas like her lived. Tonight, she was patrolling… with the Alpha.
Her heart had not stopped racing since she learned the news.
It wasn't just that Alpha Darien Kaelstrom had requested her specifically, which was already strange. It wasn't even the fact that he barely spoke to omegas outside of formal events. It was the why that left her mind spinning.
Why her?
There were at least a dozen trained warriors more qualified.
She tightened the strap of her leather boots and stared at her reflection in the mirror. Her braid fell over one shoulder, neat and tight, but her hands trembled slightly. She inhaled slowly and let it out in a soft sigh.
"Stop looking at yourself like that," Mika said from behind her, arms crossed over her chest, a teasing grin on her face. "You look fine. No rogue's gonna eat you for your fashion choices."
Calla turned with a weak laugh. "Thanks for the support."
"I mean it. You've got that quiet, mysterious vibe going for you. Maybe the Alpha likes that."
"Mika!"
"What?" She winked. "I'm just saying. He sees a lot more than he lets on. Be careful though. Darien Kaelstrom is not a man who plays games."
"I'm not trying to—"
"Yeah, yeah," Mika interrupted. "Just don't get eaten."
"By rogues or by the Alpha?"
"Whichever gets to you first."
---
The night air was crisp when Calla arrived at the western edge of the forest. The moon hung low, fat and pale, casting silver light on everything it touched. The patrol trail ahead was quiet, but not dead. Crickets hummed. Leaves whispered secrets.
Darien stood waiting beneath the large pine tree near the stone marker that signaled the border between their pack's land and the wilds beyond. He had his hands behind his back, his posture relaxed but commanding.
His short dark hair caught a bit of moonlight, and even from several feet away, Calla could feel the power radiating off him like heat. He wasn't just a man—he was Alpha. It clung to him like a second skin, demanding obedience even in silence.
"You're here," he said without turning.
"Yes, Alpha," Calla replied, trying to keep her voice steady.
He turned slightly and gave her a nod. "We'll walk east. The patrol reports said there was unusual movement near the Black Ridge."
Calla didn't ask why she was chosen. She simply nodded and followed.
---
They walked in silence for several minutes, their steps in sync. Every so often, Darien would sniff the air or glance into the trees, sharp eyes scanning the darkness. Calla didn't speak unless necessary. She didn't want to risk saying something foolish.
But something tugged at her.
Not his presence—though that alone made her stomach twist into knots—but something deeper. A pulse in her chest. A thrum under her skin.
It wasn't pain, exactly.
It was… a hum. A whisper.
Her fingers touched the silver ring on her right hand. It had belonged to her mother. She remembered seeing her wear it when she was little. It had strange carvings around the band—moon phases etched in a circle, though the center gem remained dull, always cold.
But tonight, just before she left, it had flashed. A single pulse of light. Faint, quick, like a heartbeat.
"Is that your mother's?" Darien's voice cut through her thoughts.
She looked up. He had caught her staring at the ring again.
"Yes," she said quietly. "I've worn it since she passed."
He nodded once. "The carvings—those are moon symbols, right?"
"I think so. I don't really know what it means."
Darien's gaze lingered on the ring for a second too long. "It looks… old. Older than you think, maybe."
"I wouldn't be surprised."
---
He didn't like mysteries.
And yet, this girl—this omega—held so many. Her presence didn't scream for attention. It whispered. She didn't walk with arrogance, but every movement was precise, every look careful. Like she was always on edge.
Yet there was something… else.
His wolf, Kade, was unusually quiet around her. Not growling. Not pacing. Just watching.
He'd expected silence. Omegas usually didn't talk unless spoken to. But this wasn't submission. It was control.
And then there was the ring.
When it had glowed earlier, his instincts screamed.
Magic.
But not the wild, untrained kind. This was deeper. Ancient. Like it had been waiting.
Waiting for her?
---
They stopped at a clearing, the trees parting just enough to reveal the Black Ridge in the distance. A long, jagged hill, known for rogue sightings.
Calla stepped forward, sniffing the air.
Something was wrong.
"Do you smell that?" she asked.
Darien tensed beside her. "Yes."
A rogue?
Before they could react, a figure darted from the shadows.
Darien shifted partially, his eyes turning bright gold. "Stay back!"
Calla reached for the small dagger in her boot, but the moment she stepped forward, her ring burst with silver light.
The rogue stopped.
It didn't growl. It didn't attack.
It whimpered.
And then—it ran.
Darien stared at her, wide-eyed. "What the hell was that?"
Calla didn't know. Her heart thundered. The ring had burned her skin for a moment, then dimmed again.
"I… don't know."
Darien looked at her like he was seeing her for the first time.
And deep inside her, something stirred.
---
(Calla's Inner Wolf)
He won't see it yet. They never do. But soon…